8 Sings To Detect If Self-Criticism Is Behind Self-Sabotage

Most of us consciously aspire to reach the best of ourselves via the most appropriate path. In this sense, a good tool for measuring our efforts and achievements is self-analysis. There is no doubt that it is admirable to worry about doing things the best you can and being critical of yourself. And to try to be the best person possible. This makes sense to reconsider negative experiences and try to do better at the next opportunity.

However, although self-analysis is a great way to observe our own behaviour. And learn to overcome our weaknesses and bad habits. Too much self-criticism can lead us to underestimate ourselves. In this sense, having too much self-criticism over time is detrimental to success, And to good mental health. Being too much of a self-critic is excessively detrimental to self-esteem and trust. In fact, it is directly related to low self-esteem. And to perfectionism.

Being self-critical negatively affects our self- esteem.

Are You Too Self-Critical?

The problem occurs when we go into autopilot mode. We then enter the field of self-criticism. That is why it is necessary to wake up and realize the damage we do without wanting. To find out if you are too critical, check the following list. If too many everyday situations are characteristic of you, it’s time to think about the situation and start taking a little more care of yourself, mentally speaking.

You are disappointed with yourself, even if your failures are concrete and specific things: Do you feel a failure every time you do something wrong? Do you suppose that you are a big loser every time you make a mistake or something is wrong, something concrete and specific, which concerns only a part of you? Are you unable to focus on the behaviour that caused the problem and instead you generalize?

You avoid taking risks: You do not venture to do something different because you think you will fail? Do you think things will go wrong because it happened to you on other occasions? Are you convinced that the best thing, that the safest thing is to do nothing?

You avoid expressing your opinion: are you afraid to say something stupid, absurd, irrelevant? Do you think that what you have to say is not interesting? Do you think that what you think will be unwelcome or boring?

You are never satisfied with your achievements: do you see failures again and again in what you do? Do you think that if you do not do something excellent, it is better not to do it? Are you inclined to stress the inevitable flaws, even when your results are positive?

In all likely scenarios, you see ghosts: Do you always foresee the worst possible scenarios? Is “what if …” the way you put all the options, invoking problems and always seeing the worst? Is personal failure the filter through which you plan all your future actions? Do you fear humiliation and failure? Is it more important to you than success and triumph?

You have problems with your personal image: do you have complexes that you can not forget? Do you think that what you consider negative can affect others, in the way they value you, in the esteem, they have for you? Do you think that your personal image prevents or can prevent you from progressing professionally and socially?

You analyze your mistakes in a strong way, focusing on the mistakes: invest a lot of time and energy in analyzing what went wrong and how you are responsible, but without drawing any conclusions that you let’s look at the past with optimism? Do you mumble guilt and what you missed, which you did not do, instead of analyzing possible alternatives for on next time?

You are defensive about comments: do you tend to feel upset when people make a justified or constructive criticism? Do you overreact to the comments of others? Do you take comments for something personal?

Self-Sabotage And Self-Criticism

An intense and frequent self-criticism is a form of self-sabotage. In other words, by doing self-criticism, we are doing exactly the opposite of what is most healthy for us. Why are we doing it then? Because it’s part of a broader familiar psychological landscape, where rejection, fear or oppression becomes a habitual commitment, a burden that we get used to wearing.

Thus, negativity becomes an emotional defect from which it becomes difficult to escape. And as it is familiar to us, as something that belongs to us, we cling to it, looking for this negativity was this mode “autopilot” because without it we feel naked. In this sense, overcoming self-criticism and with it, self-sabotage requires a great awareness of oneself. It also requires reviewing our internal dialogue, what is happening, in us and around us.